Myths and Facts about Women and Heart Disease

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), one in three women’s deaths a year are caused by heart disease, making it the No. 1 killer of women.

Age

Myth: I’m too young to worry about heart disease.

Fact: The AHA estimates that 90 percent of women have “one or more risk factor for developing heart disease.” These risk factors include obesity, smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and pre-diabetes, which can develop at any age. “At all ages,” says Dr. Bauman, “women’s mortality from heart disease is higher than that of breast cancer.”